


Prologue

by Lady_Ganesh



Category: Weiß Kreuz
Genre: Between Seasons/Series, Chocolate Box Treat, Empathy, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-21 17:06:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9558716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Ganesh/pseuds/Lady_Ganesh
Summary: Howdotwo teenaged assassins/bodyguards with really weird childhoods bond?Not easily at first.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cerberusia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerberusia/gifts).



"I don't understand this," Mamoru said, putting the paper back down on his desk. He rubbed his temples. "I've read it three times and I still don't understand it."

"It's Latin," Nagi said. He'd been reading over Mamoru's shoulder, without much effort to hide it. "How much Latin do you know?"

"I took it," Mamoru said. "I got good grades. I know what it _says,_ but I don't know what it means. 'Lamb of God,' that's Christian, right?"

 _"Agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi,"_ Nagi said. "It's a Mass, that's all."

"So...Christian."

"Catholic specifically."

"So why is it at my murder scene?"

 _Since Ken's in prison and Farfarello's in Ireland, it means it wasn’t anyone we know._ "I couldn't begin to tell you. But that's what it is. 'Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, give us peace,' more or less." He stepped a little closer. "It's not from a Requiem mass, which--that's what you normally say when someone dies."

"That's not making any more sense," Mamoru said. He tapped the paper with his fingers. "Does it look right? Nothing's out of order or--"

"No," Nagi said. "But that's--they're all the same, the same Latin, same phrasing. You could copy it out of a book or from a website. You don’t have to be Catholic, much less particularly devout."

Mamoru nodded. "You were Catholic?"

"Catholic orphanage."

"Ken-kun grew up in one, too. I could've asked him, if--" Mamoru sighed. 

"With respect," Nagi said. "Why am I here?"

"With respect," Mamoru said, "I don't know. I didn't hire you, remember?"

Nagi just rested his fingers on top of Mamoru's, just enough to stop the tapping. Just enough to get Mamoru's full attention. "With respect," he said, more firmly, "the rats in the kitchens don't take a bite without you knowing about it."

"I know about it," Mamoru said, and Nagi could feel the bitterness as clearly as he could hear it. "I don't know _why."_ He craned his head to look up at Nagi. "They haven't even shown me your file."

"I see," Nagi said. That was about when he realized his fingers were still resting on Mamoru's. "...do you want to see it?"

"I don't have access," he said. 

"I know what you've broken into," Nagi said. "Why would that stop you?"

Mamoru took a moment before he answered. "I want to belong here. I've had enough of being someone's...project.” He tapped the table with his free hands. “I’m doing this analysis, basically, for Weiss, because now I'm too valuable to go out myself, but...at least I’m valued.”

"Aren't we all someone's project?" Nagi said, wryly. 

"And why did you say yes? This...can't be the kind of work you dreamed of."

"There's something I need to do," Nagi said. "Before I'm free. I need to be in place with Kritiker for it to happen."

"So you're here for that." Mamoru still hadn't moved his hand, and Nagi felt his loneliness, emptiness. 

It occurred to Nagi that Mamoru was _starving._

"I'm here for that," he said, because there was only so much he was willing to offer. "I'm not going to let you die before then. You're my way in. But...it was never personal. None of it. Even the girl."

 _That_ got Mamoru to move his hand, and a flare of anger. That was better.

His job wasn't to get close. His job was to be close enough.

Not that he wasn't aware of the warmth of Mamoru's body or the scent of his overpriced aftershave. But there were lines that shouldn't be crossed. Wouldn't be.

Probably wouldn't be.

"So the text of a Mass," Mamoru said abruptly. "Any idea why I have a Mass at my murder scene?"

"Anything ritualistic? Stigmata on their hands or anything?"

"What would that look like?"

"It'd be--" Nagi grabbed for the photo. "Are there autopsy photos in there?"

Mamoru nodded.

"I'll show you," he said. "Anything that stands out--"

"I'll tell you." He leaned over Mamoru's shoulder. "I'd rather not be useless."

"Guess we’ve got that in common," Mamoru said, almost under his breath.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Prologue (The Uneasy Beginning Remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12043896) by [Daegaer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daegaer/pseuds/Daegaer)




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